Do we ever have a count on how many papers are used in our writing or how many trees are cut to make 10 copies? Though the world is going digital day by day yet many activities require paper. Creating a paper without deforestation is one of the best possible ways. In our recent #EnvironmentalTalks with Pinky Maheshwari we came to know various aspects of papermaking and the art of customizing. Let us share with you about the organization and the founders of Surprise Someone and interview insights with Pinky Maheshwari.
It creates paper from the waste rags and cotton and not from paper, plus the papers have seeds planted in it so when these papers are discarded a sapling grows into a plant; by this, the enterprise is not only contributing towards the environment but also creating a business model that is sustainable for years and years.
To conserve the environment and reduce deforestation this enterprise is making a wave of change and showing the path to many aspiring entrepreneurs. This enterprise gives livelihood to many rural people, and it also received an excellence award in an innovative product category. It is in the list of best 50 Start-up India at the India International Trade Fair in 2017. To train 10,000 girls to be self-sufficient and educate them this enterprise has a bright vision for the future generation.
Founder of Surprise Someone: Sharda Daga & Pinky Maheshwari
Surprise Someone makes recycled handmade paper. The Surprising element is that they don’t cut TREES to make paper, they make paper from cotton rags/ waste cotton. All the products they make are 100% Eco Friendly and made from #recycled #handmade #paper.
Another interesting thing about this handmade paper is that they decided to add seeds inside the paper (#SEEDpaper) while making it so that whenever paper bag or journal or box made of that paper is trashed, IT WILL Help grow PLANTS.
Mother-Daughter Duo
Mother Sharda and daughter Pinky are creating waves in the women's enterprise sector as they are setting the right example of utilizing the resources to the maximum and at the same time customizing.
In her interview, she also showcased how well they package so that they use minimum space for the shipping and it is easy for customers also to use and save it for the future.
Calling from Environment
Pinky Maheshwari says though born to Environmentalist parents and living around trees and plants she pursued her MBA dream and worked for top MNC’s for a decade in her career but one day eventually she quit as the environment was the calling and one day experiment of making paper turned to her passion.
You can watch the video here how the process of making recycled paper.
After creating the first paper bag from waste paper and vests the business is now grown many-fold to inspire thousands of entrepreneurs.
Pinky Maheshwari is an entrepreneur coach and has trained 4900 plus candidates to fulfill their dream. She is a consultant faculty in Govt Of India, NSIC (National Small Scale Industry Corporation).
How was your start to the journey?
Pinky told us that though as everyone she also received the initial hitch where the company wanted to know how many of them have ordered their products but did not want to be the first. But when they looked at her product and from small orders, now the enterprise is fulfilling orders from many companies and also personal orders, corporate orders.
Do people need to invest in marketing
From her experience there is no need to spend money on the initial 3 years, as the base is set to let the customers know the product, she also shared how digital marketing has changed the face of the marketing and approach towards the customer.
How a company can check on its carbon footprint and responsibility towards the environment
Pinky says each industry has a scope to improve and by small changes, the impact can be bigger.
Importance of Knowing customer & advice to the customer
Surprise Someone has been featured on many accolades and also is one of the Amazon sellers to feature under environment. From a consumer point of view, we need to select a product that is working towards the betterment of nature.
Imbibing responsibility in the younger generation
With products like plantable Rakhi and plantable drawing, the book makes kids responsible towards the environment and also makes them accountable for their actions.
For more details do watch this interview where Pinky Maheshwari shares many of her insights into the industry in a candid way.
With this interview insights post, we are closing our #EnvironmentalTalks series for the year but will keep bringing you the interview and insights from the experts of the field in the coming year too. Till then as responsible citizens let us save natural resources and do our bit towards the environment as we believe every bit is saved for a better future. You can also read the post, "What the EcoBloggers community says on the environment".
This post is a part of the #CauseAChatter of the Blogchatter, you can read all our environment blogposts here.
With this blog post, we are ending the blog posts for the year 2021, wishing you all good luck for the coming year of 2022. We shall bring to you all many more posts filled with positivity and optimism in the coming year. Thank you all for reading our blogs and supporting us.
@MeenalSonal
Wow paper made from not cutting trees and having seeds in them. It’s remarkable. It shows her passion. Watched the paper making process. So much of through process has gone behind it. Kudos to this mommy daughter duo.
ReplyDeleteWow this is really inspiring. Pinky and shradhha are doing great job as making recycled handmade paper. it is great for environment. thank you so much for sharing their inspiring journey with us. I loved your entire series and you have shared many great interviews with each post and Instalive.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of papers having seeds in it. They r doing a wonderful job towards the betterment of nature.
ReplyDeleteWow what a novel initiative. If more and more people are coming up.with ideas like this the world can be a better place.
ReplyDeleteSurprise someone truly is on an innovative and sustainable mission. I also agree that there is no or limited need of marketing in the initial years of a startup.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazing ideas people come up with.Makesbmre feel old and useless
ReplyDeleteWow, this is so amazing. I had no idea that paper can be made with old cotton rags. And, Surprise Someone is not just making paper but so many beautiful products. More power to the mother-daughter duo.
ReplyDeleteThis is very inspiring .They are doing great job as making recycled handmade paper without cutting trees .Thank you so much for sharing this
ReplyDeleteThis is such an awesome initiative with some great ideas. I am really impressed with their work. Thanks for creating an awareness around the same.
ReplyDeleteNow this is a very out of the box kind of concept to make paper out of cotton n rags and not trees. Plus adding seeds to it is like a perfect way to respect the environment and help it flourish.
ReplyDeleteSurprise Someone is engaged in such a wonderful endeavour that is really making a difference to the environment. Trees are our future and the efforts of Surprise Someone are really commendable. I specially like the concept of seeds in the waste paper which grow into plants and trees.
ReplyDeleteWow the initiative is great. I wish people understand the theme behind their work and accept that ideas like this will help the world to become a happy place to stay
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love the idea of paper not being made from tress but they can give out trees. The seed paper is something innovative. I'm definitely checking out their handle.
ReplyDeleteSindhu
Love this! I remember doing small batches of paper from recycled paper when I was younger. My mom would always scold me though for having our blender clogged!hahhaa...great way to help not waste paper!
ReplyDeleteWow this is amazing. I loved their initiative and their work would definitely help in protecting environment. I wish them all the very best and everyone should know about their initiative.
ReplyDeleteI love products that promotes sustainable development. We should make sure we leave a habital world for our future generations to come. A wonderful read.
ReplyDeleteWow... A great initiative to save our nature and act environment friendly.. Kuddos
ReplyDeleteWow it's really wonderful and inspiring. I loved the initiative they took. Great way to help enviorment too.
ReplyDeleteSuch an inspiring post and im glad that people are taking steps to recycle and save environment. Thanks for sharing this lovely initiative.
ReplyDelete